Acp-Eu Joint Parliamentary Assembly
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ACP-EU JOINT PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY NOTICE TO MEMBERS Members will find attached the follow-up given by the Commission to the resolutions adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly during its 4th session of 18 - 21 March 2002 in Cape Town (South Africa). The Co-secretariat DV\493765EN.doc APP/3499 EN EUROPEAN COMMISSION ACP-EU JOINT PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY BRAZZAVILLE (Republic of the Congo) 31 March – 3 April 2003 Members of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly will find attached progress reports on the follow-up action the Commission has taken or planned in response to the main points and certain specific requests contained in the resolutions adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly during its session held in Cape Town (South Africa) from 18–21 March 2002. The Commission is at the disposal of the parliamentarians for any further information they may require. DV\493765EN.doc2 APP/3499 FOLLOW UP OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE ACP-EU JOINT PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY ADOPTED IN CAPE TOWN (SOUTH AFRICA) ON 21 MARCH 2002 Page - on the situation in West Africa (ACP-EU 3383/02/fin.) 4 - on the situation in Central Africa and the African Great Lakes region 6 (ACP-EU 3384/02/fin.) - on the situation in Southern Africa (ACP-EU 3385/02/fin.) 7 - on the situation in Madagascar (ACP-EU 3386/02/fin.) 10 - on the situation in Zimbabwe (ACP-EU 3396/02/fin.) 11 - on the situation in East Africa (ACP-EU 3387/02/fin.) 13 - on the Caribbean region (ACP-EU 3388/02/fin.) 14 - on the situation in Cuba (ACP-EU 3389/02/fin.) 15 - on the situation in the Pacific region (ACP-EU 3390/02/fin.) 16 - on the Economic Partnership Agreements (ACP-EU 3397/02/fin.) 17 - on negotiations between the ACP-EU on trade, rules of origin and sanitary and 18 phytosanitary measures (ACP-EU 3391/02/fin.) - on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) (ACP-EU 3395/02/fin.) 20 - on stagnation in the production sectors for bananas, rice and other products 22 (ACP-EU 3379/02/fin.) - on sugar (ACP-EU 3370/02/fin.) 23 - on gender issues (ACP-EU 3392/02/fin.) 24 - on health issues, young people, the elderly and people living with disabilities 25 (ACP-EU 3398/02/fin.) - on the impact of communicable diseases on health, young people, the elderly and 26 people living with disabilities (ACP-EU 3393/02/fin.) - on sustainable development and Rio + 10 (ACP-EU 3394/02/fin.) 28 DV\493765EN.doc3 APP/3499 ACP-EU 3383/02/fin. RESOLUTION on the situation in West Africa As regards Togo, the evolution of the political situation in early 2002, particularly the Government’s decision not to re-appoint the members of the Independent National Electoral Commission and the unilateral modification of the Electoral Code, obliged the Union to temporarily suspend its support to the election process. The Union also suspended its offer to send an election observation mission, and called on all the signatories to the Lomé Framework Agreement to resume the electoral process by the implementation of the agreements reached by the Joint Monitoring Committee in July 2001.No progress was, however, made in this respect. The Government finally organised the legislative elections under the revised legal framework on 27 October 2002. The main opposition parties who insisted on the organisation of the elections under the commonly agreed legal framework boycotted these elections. In a statement published on 5 November, the Union pointed out that the elections did not meet the conditions set out in the framework agreement and advised the Togolese authorities and all the opposition parties to ensure that the next elections enable all shades of political opinion to have their say and to participate with the greatest possible transparency and independence. The subsequent changes brought to the electoral framework through the modification of the Constitution and the electoral code by the Government without consulting the opposition have not changed the position of the EU. The European Commission and Senegal have signed a protocol to renew this fisheries agreement for a period of 4 years from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2006. This new protocol envisages a continuous monitoring of the development of the state of stocks with an annual scientific meeting. Once the scientific meeting has reached its conclusions, a Joint Committee can adopt appropriate measures to ensure the sustainable management of resources. Concerning Sierra Leone, the European Commission is presently supporting war victims, amongst other target groups, in the framework of the ongoing 8th EDF Resettlement and Rehabilitation Project (€ 20 million) and by numerous projects financed under the budget of its Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO). The annual allocation for 2002 amounted to € 11 million, providing assistance and support to uprooted populations (refugees and internally displaced persons) and victims of war. The sectors concerned are (1) health & nutrition, (2) water & sanitation and (3) shelter material and non-food items. For 2003, a new € 9 million annual programme has been approved by the Commission and is currently under implementation. In Nigeria, over a thousand people died, many of whom were children, when munitions stores exploded on 31 January 2002 at barracks in the Ikeja suburb of Lagos. The Union immediately sent condolences to the President, and consulted on the provision of emergency aid which in the event was not followed up in view of local initiatives which were already underway. The United States and the United Kingdom sent bomb disposal teams to Nigeria in early February to assist in recovery efforts and in the location and disposal of stray unexploded bombs. The Federal Government of Nigeria has set up an inquiry to identify the causes of the disaster and ascertain responsibility. The Government has also set up the Lagos Explosion Disaster Relief Fund. The Federal Government is relocating the munitions dump in Ikeja barracks, and others in the country, away from residential areas. DV\493765EN.doc4 APP/3499 Although the EU considered the referendum of 11 November 2001 and the legislative elections of 30 June 2002 in Guinea problematic, the EU tries to maintain a political dialogue with the Government of Guinea. The objective is to impress on the authorities the importance of organising the presidential election foreseen for December 2003 in a democratic manner. Special Representative of the Presidency for the Mano River Union, Swedish Secretary of State Hans Dahlgren, travelled to Guinea last November to discuss, amongst others, this issue. A letter jointly signed by Danish Presidency Foreign Minister Moeller and Commissioner Nielson was sent to President Conté calling for electoral reform and for the opening up of access to the media. A ministerial delegation met with Mr Dalhgren and with Commissioner Nielson in January to convey the wish of the Government to maintain the dialogue and to explain the views of the Government. Further progress on electoral reform is, however, still needed and the dialogue on this continues. DV\493765EN.doc5 APP/3499 ACP-EU 3384/02/fin. RESOLUTION on the situation in Central Africa and the African Great Lakes region DRC The Commission is implementing the National Indicative Programme for the 8th EDF: approximately 85% of the financial envelope of € 120 million has already been committed. Given the guidelines on focused and effective aid under the various financial instruments available, the Commission has channelled a number of basic rehabilitation projects, particularly on health and medicines, to the eastern part of the DRC, in close coordination with earlier measures carried out by the humanitarian office, ECHO. The total amount involved in projects currently under way in the eastern part of the country is some €24 million. To the extent that it is competent for these matters the Commission has always provided support in international fora for the programme of disarming negative forces and for widening MONUC's mandate since at present this includes only the voluntary disarmament/demobilisation of foreign armed groups in Congo territory. The Commission also contributes some €20 million to the trust fund established and managed by the World Bank to finance the development of a regional multi-donor strategy for demobilising and resettling former fighters in the wider Great Lakes region. The Commission aims as far as possible to maintain a geographical balance in allocating its aid. Burundi The Commission has continued its cooperation with Burundi despite the security problems. The humanitarian office, ECHO, continues its humanitarian aid programme of €15 million in 2003, and the preparation of 8th EDF National Indicative Programme (NIP) implementation has started As regards 7th EDF NIP implementation, in particular the “Programme de Réhabilitation du Burundi (PREBU)” has been highly successful in implementing more than 270 small-scale projects, installation of water and electricity supplies, reconstruction of hospitals, health centres and markets. Furthermore, the 9th EDF NIP (€ 115 million) is in the final stage of preparation. Once the political situation is favourable, Burundi could participate in a demobilisation programme in the framework of MDRP (Multi-Donor Rehabilitation Programme) initiative administered by the World Bank. DV\493765EN.doc6 APP/3499 ACP-EU 3385/02/fin. RESOLUTION on the situation in Southern Africa ANGOLA Following the signature of the peace agreement between the Government of Angola and UNITA on 4 April 2002, the Commission drew up a short-term plan of action to support the peace process. A total of €125 million was identified from the Commission budget and the European Development Fund (EDF) to finance a wide range of actions including emergency relief, food aid and food security, support for displaced people and returnees and de-mining operations. To respond to spiralling needs and the changing situation on the ground a Programme for Emergency Support to the Peace Process was set up within the Plan of Action to accelerate disbursement of uncommitted funds from the 7th and 8th EDF, comprising €30 million.